Reusable forming unit

ABSTRACT

Reusable forming unit for pouring enclosed wall structures in situ including a movable frame supporting inner and outer wall panels. One wall section is pivotally mounted for vertical swinging movement, the remainder of the sections including pivotally mounted inner wall forming panels and positioning means for effecting a selective outward and upward movement of the outer wall forming panels.

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SHEET 1 OF 5 IEPQ k! u \1 E R F P m NEE J .w Hi 2 ON N Q h William Greenhalgh V PATENTEUUCT 19 I97\ SHEET 2 0F 5 I INVENTOR William Greenholgh ATTORNEY SHEET 30F 5 INVENT OR William Greenholgh ATTORNEY PATENTEDnm 19 ml PATENTEDUBT 19 IQYI 3, 14,050

I SHEET 5 0F 5 INVENTOR Wi lliom Greenho/gh ATTORNEY REUSABLIE FORMING UNIT This invention relates to a reusable means for forming basement walls, or other walls of a structure, and adapted to be moved from one building site to another for instance in a housing development, all together as a unit.

One object of the invention is to provide building forms to be used in the erection of a building structure by pouring mixtures within the forms and then removing all of the forms together as a unit.

A more specific object is to provide form means to define the walls and any partitions to be filled with a settable mixture poured into the forms, and when the mixture has been set enough to sustain itself, to provide means to raise the inner forms to an elevated position; means to raise the rear deck to an elevated position and means to disengage the front and side walls so that they too are clear of the poured structure; plus means to propel the entire forming unit to the proper site for resetting the same into a position for pouring an extension of the already poured structure and repeating the pouring, stripping, propelling and resetting of the forms for as many repetitions as desired, it being intended that the rear deck may remain elevated since each extension can be built onto an already poured wall.

A further objective is to provide a means for building motels, row houses, warehouses, stores and other structures, in which a structural unit is repeated one or more times in the completed structure, while repeatedly utilizing a building form adapted to define a single unit.

Another object is to provide such building forms in a manner which permits the forms to be adjusted so that the size and design of building can be varied.

Another object is to provide a means which permits the entire forming unit to be propelled by winch and cable or other suitable means to an adjoining site in order to form another structure like the one just poured, or to form a slightly different structure by suitable adjustment of the forms after they have been moved to the new site, as a unit.

A further object is to provide a unit which can be partially dismantled so as to reduce the size of the unit to be formed in the next use of the forms.

Still another object is to provide a movable form to which additions can be made from which portions may be removed in order to accommodate desired changes in length or width of the rooms being poured.

Prior to the present invention forms for structures have been assembled and erected at a building site on a piece by piece basis or on a wall by wall basis, and then dismantled into individual pieces in order to be reused at another site. By the present invention, all of the wall and partition forms are moved as one connected unit from one site to the next.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the specification which follows taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing the supporting frame structure and the wheels and track on which it moves;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the apparatus assembled and ready for pouring a four room structure;

FIG. 3 is a partial section taken on plane 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a similar view taken on plane 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view showing top elevation of a corner showing details of the construction;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view showing a preferred means for tying the inner and outer retainers together during the pour;

FIG. 7A is a fragmentary view showing the mechanism provided for lowering and pushing the retainers and for holding the retainers in place during a pour;

FIG. 7B is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 7A, but showing the mechanism after the hydraulic means have been actuated to pull and simultaneously to raise the retaining material from the poured wall or partition;

FIG. 8 shows a detail of an offset hanger used to hold an inner retaining wall on the outer frame;

FIG. 9 is a similar view of another hanger used to suspend a retainer for an inner partition; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view showing one form of adjustable bottom end provided on each of the retaining forms.

The frame ll0 shown in FIGSVI and 2 is preferably constructed of tubular materialin order to improve the strength to weight ratio and to thereby lower the efiort and expense incidental to moving the frame from one building site to another. However, where such construction materials are in short supply, the frame 10 may be constructed of timber, or angles beams, channels and other structural shapes may be used without departing from the intended scope of the invention.

When the frame is constructed of tubular material, the. framework can be adjusted as to size by utilizing smaller tubes. telescoped into larger tubes. A similar adjustability can be achieved when the frame is constructed of flat material orstructural shapes, by telescoping such frame pieces in one another, or by laying them side by side and securing them by pins, bolts or other known means.

Frame 10 includes four sides and a top, joined together to form the framework 10. The four sides each include a vertical comer post 12 at each end of each side and a suitable number of vertical intermediate members 14 positioned at spaced intervals between the vertical corner posts 12. Each of the side and end framework panels includes a top horizontal member 16 secured to the outside surface of verticals 12 and 14, and a bottom horizontal base member 18 secured to the outside surface of verticals l2 and 14. One or more horizontal braces 20 secured to the outer surfaces of verticals 12 and 14 complete the frames of the sides and the ends. The verticals are somewhat higher than the height of the actually poured walls (see FIG. 3), which they are used to fabricate, the height of which is shown as a broken line in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Attached to the lower side of each of the base members 18 are a plurality of grooved wheel carriages 24 in which grooved wheels 26 are supported for rotation. Of course, instead of wheels 20 on rails, as shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to provide a groove or channel in which a wheel can ride.

The front end retainer 28 of the framework, shown at the left end in FIGS. 1 and 2, is securely fastened at right angles and square to the left-side retainer 30 and right-side retainer 32, any suitable scheme for insuring a secure fastening being used. The rear outer retainer 34 comprising the other end of frame 10 is connected to one end of top horizontal 16 by a hinge 36 which pennits the member 34 to be swung up when it is connected to a lifting means shown schematically in FIG. 3 which lifting means is carried by the top of the frame 10.

At the top of frame 10 are cross braces 40 and one or more longitudinal braces 42 which extend transversely to the cross braces 40 and which include a boom 44 to which a winch or cable may be attached for lifting rear end 34 when the need arises, an eye 46 being provided on end 34 for engaging a hook on a winch connected to boom 44.

Turning to FIGS. 3, 4, 7A, 7B and 8, means are shown for movably supporting sidewalls 50. Sidewalls 50 define the outside walls of the pour. As shown, outer sidewall 50 consists of a plurality of vertical supports 52, to which a sheet 54 of wood or metal issecured, by bolts 56 or otherfastening means (FIG. 7A). One end of each of a plurality of links 58 is pivotally connected to support 52 and the other end of each of links 58 is pivotally connected to verticals 12 or 14 or frame 10, so that the links can pivot in unison so as to move plate 54 and support 52 towards (or away) from the sides of frame 10 and to simultaneously raise (or lower) plate 54 relative the the base. Any suitable means may be used to effect this movement, one such manner being the pneumatic or hydraulic means 60 shown schematically in FIGS. 7A and 7B.

The movement of sheet 54 and its associated structure is believed to be clear from FIGS. 7A and 78 from which it will be seen that the movement is outward, away from the poured wall and upwards, while the weight'of the apparatus is sup ported by the wheels at the foot of verticals 12 and 14. When more than one pneumatic or hydraulic means is used, they are actuated by a master cylinder so as to work evenly in unison.

Similar pneumatic or hydraulic structures are present on end 28 and sides 30 and 32 so that all three can be moved away from the poured walls by such means.

The other end frame 34 is separated from the walls by being hoisted clear by the winch mechanism attached to extension 44.

Before a wall or set of walls can be poured, the opposite side or inside wall 62 of a mold must be positioned in place so that cement or concrete or other suitable construction material can be poured into the space between sheet 54 defining the outer mold wall and a similar sheet defining the inner mold wall 62.

To this end, spacers, such as those shown in FIG. 6, are provided comprising a rod 70 of the required length and strength for the wall desired and threaded at each end 76. Two round flanges 72, like washers, are soldered or welded to rod 70 so as to define the thickness of the wall to be poured. Rod 70 is provided with a weakened section 74 located between threaded 76 and washer flange 72. A second washer 78 fits loosely on rod 70 and is held in place against wall 62 by a nut 80 which threads onto the end 76 of rod 70. The weakened section 74 insures that when the apparatus is being disassembled, and the nuts 80 have been unthreaded and loose washers 78 have been removed, a sharp blow on free end 76 of rod 70 causes the rod to break in the weakened section 74 and permits the mold panels 54 and 62 to become readily detached from the poured wall W.

A shown in FIG. 5, to insure tight comers, vertical angle members 100 are provided where inside mold panels 62 or outside mold panels 54 intersect, the respective mold panels each being secured to one leg of the angles 100 by means ofa bolt 102 having a tapered construction, as seen in FIG. 5. All of the mold walls are provided with tapered recesses adapted to receive the pyramidal head of the nut 104.

FIG. 8 shows a detail of the manner in which the outer frame is held away from the inner form, as in FIG. 7A, preparatory to swinging the inner partition defining member 62 free and clear of the poured structure, as a preliminary to moving the entire assembly to the next building site.

As shown in FIG. 9, for the inside walls, sheets 90 and 92 are each separately suspended by one end of a hinged hanger 94 to which they are connected by bolts 96. The other end of the hanger 94 is welded or otherwise secured to cross brace 40 or to longitudinal brace 42. Hanger 94 is provided with a hinge 98 so that the suspended sheet can be swung away from the poured wall, after it has set enough to be self-supporting. Bolt assemblies, such as that shown in FIG. 6, are provided to maintain the proper spacing between mold walls 90 and 92, any convenient number being provided.

lt is believed that the operation of this device will be clear from the preceding description.

The outer frame to which all of the members are connected directly or indirectly is rigid and serves as the means which rides on wheels to carry the entire apparatus to the site of use.

The two sides and front forms used as outside retainers for the settable mixture are anchored to the rigid frame by means of links 58.

The rear retainer is hung on a pivot 36.

The inner retaining forms are offset hung on the four outer frames so as to hang spaced from the outer retaining forms (see FIG. 4). The hangers can be adjusted so as to define any desired wall thickness.

This much defines a complete wall enclosing the space to be poured.

If the height of the footings or slab base are not uniform, the conventional means shown in FIG. 10 may be used to adjust the bottom of the form so that it abuts the slab floor or base.

Overhead truss members 40 and 42 are placed to define the partitions and partition forms hang on these. When the comer braces shown in FIG. 5 and the reinforcing spacer shown in FIG. 6 have been added to the assembly, the partitions and the wall-defining structure is made rigid, and tight enough to pour the concrete or other settable material into the fonns.

After the mixture has set, the back is disconnected at each comer and is then swung up and out of the way, to a height above the poured wall height.

Then the cone nuts are unscrewed on the inside of each poured room. This permits each inside form to be swung above the poured wall height, to clear the room. The elevated forms are secured in their raised position by any suitable means.

Then the front is disconnected from each side, thereby leaving the sides free to be moved by the means 60, 58. The sides and front are lifted and pulled outward away from the poured walls.

The entire assembly can then be moved to the next site on which a pour is to be made and set up as before.

Having now described the invention, it is not intended that it be limited except by the appended claims.

1. A building forming system for the in situ formation of full height walls of a building in a single pour, said system comprising:

a rigid frame, said frame including a plurality of vertical sections angularly related to each other and defining a peripherally enclosed area, said frame sections including upper and lower ends, one of said sections being pivotally mounted for vertical swinging about the upper end thereof for movement between a first vertical operative position and a second upwardly and outwardly swung released position, the remainder of said sections being rigidly interconnected in the vertical orientation thereof and movable as a unit with said one section; a wall forming sheet fixed to the inner side of said one section and vertically swingable therewith; a second sheet pivoted to the upper end of said one section and swingable between a first vertical position in inwardly spaced-parallel relation to the first mentioned sheet when said one section is in the first vertical position thereof and a second inwardly and upwardly swung position; an outer vertical forming sheet positioned in inwardly spaced relation to each of the remaining sections; positioning means engaged between each of the remaining sections and the corresponding outer forming sheet for effecting a selective outward and upward movement of the outer forming sheet toward the frame section while maintaining the vertical orientation of the outer forming sheet, and a reverse movement inward and downward away from the frame section; an inner forming sheet positioned in inwardly spaced relation to each outer forming sheet; and means pivotally mounting each inner forming sheet to the top of the corresponding frame section for a swinging movement thereof between a first vertical position in inwardly spaced-parallel relation to the corresponding outer forming sheet and a second position inwardly and upwardly swung relative to the corresponding outer forming sheet.

2. The building forming system of claim 1 including a series of braces engaged with the upper ends of said frame sections and spanning the enclosed area formed thereby; a pair of inner wall-forming sheets positioned low and along each brace, and means pivotally securing each pair of inner wall-forming sheets to the corresponding brace for movement between a first vertical position depending from the corresponding brace in laterally spaced-parallel relation to each other and a second position wherein the pair of inner wall-forming sheets are swung upward and outward relative to each other.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the frame includes four right angularly related sections and associated forming sheets to form a rectangular building.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said positioning means engaged between each of the remaining sections and the corresponding outer forming sheet comprises a plurality of vertically spaced links pivoted at one end to the section and at the other end to the forming sheet for a controlled combined ver tical and lateral movement of the sheet relative to the section, and a fluid jack engaged between the section and sheet for effecting a powered movement of the sheet.

tical and lateral movement of the sheet relative to the section, and a fluid jack engaged between the section and sheet for effecting a powered movement of the sheet, said frame being mounted on wheels for a selective movement thereof as a unit. 

1. A building forming system for the in situ formation of full height walls of a building in a single pour, said system comprising: a rigid frame, said frame including a plurality of vertical sections angularly related to each other and defining a peripherally enclosed area, said frame sections including upper and lower ends, one of said sections being pivotally mounted for vertical swinging about the upper end thereof for movement between a first vertical operative position and a second upwardly and outwardly swung released position, the remainder of said sections being rigidly interconnected in the vertical orientation thereof and movable as a unit with said one section; a wall forming sheet fixed to the inner side of said one section and vertically swingable therewith; a second sheet pivoted to the upper end of said one section and swingable between a first vertical position in inwardly spaced-parallel relation to the first mentioned sheet when said one section is in the first vertical position thereof and a second inwardly and upwardly swung position; an outer vertical forming sheet positioned in inwardly spaced relation to each of the remaining sections; positioning means engaged between each of the remaining sections and the corresponding outer forming sheet for effecting a selective outward and upward movement of the outer forming sheet toward the frame section while maintaining the vertical orientation of the outer forming sheet, and a reverse movement inward and downward away from the frame section; an iNner forming sheet positioned in inwardly spaced relation to each outer forming sheet; and means pivotally mounting each inner forming sheet to the top of the corresponding frame section for a swinging movement thereof between a first vertical position in inwardly spaced-parallel relation to the corresponding outer forming sheet and a second position inwardly and upwardly swung relative to the corresponding outer forming sheet.
 2. The building forming system of claim 1 including a series of braces engaged with the upper ends of said frame sections and spanning the enclosed area formed thereby; a pair of inner wall-forming sheets positioned low and along each brace, and means pivotally securing each pair of inner wall-forming sheets to the corresponding brace for movement between a first vertical position depending from the corresponding brace in laterally spaced-parallel relation to each other and a second position wherein the pair of inner wall-forming sheets are swung upward and outward relative to each other.
 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the frame includes four right angularly related sections and associated forming sheets to form a rectangular building.
 4. The system of claim 3 wherein said positioning means engaged between each of the remaining sections and the corresponding outer forming sheet comprises a plurality of vertically spaced links pivoted at one end to the section and at the other end to the forming sheet for a controlled combined vertical and lateral movement of the sheet relative to the section, and a fluid jack engaged between the section and sheet for effecting a powered movement of the sheet.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein said positioning means engaged between each of the remaining sections and the corresponding outer forming sheet comprises a plurality of vertically spaced links pivoted at one end to the section and at the other end to the forming sheet for a controlled combined vertical and lateral movement of the sheet relative to the section, and a fluid jack engaged between the section and sheet for effecting a powered movement of the sheet, said frame being mounted on wheels for a selective movement thereof as a unit. 